Mower County transcript. [volume] (Lansing, Minn.) 1868-1915, 1887-10-26

1dcb tQaI We ,udQ IreSp1SS6Q upOnIue pElVGrz
cy of no less person than his Majesty the
King. This was bad news indeed. For the
old gentleman, in the plasterer's hands,
had presented by no means dignifed ap
pearance, and we knew that to approach
him without notice and in state of undress
was serious breach Of Tongan court Ell
quette. However, we consoled ourselves
with the reflection that our sin was one
very easy to commit. =
Having humbly apologized for our limo
cent intrusion and received a reassuring
answer, we We're ushered through the win
dow into sort Of DRAWN groom, a well
furnished apartment, with q number of red
velvet chairs set around a long mahogany
table, one chair little higher than the rest,
acting, no doubt, as a throne. Here we
waited for about half an hour, when his
Majesty entered, accompanied by an inter
prefer, and was graciousy pleased to ac-
cord us a formal interview. He shook hands
very pleasantly with our party, and
we all sat down on red velvet
chairs, the interpreter squatted on the
floor between. The King, seen at closer
quarters, was really noble specimen of
semi-savage, standing quite six feet four
inches, of wonderfully well proportioned
and athletic build, upright as dart and
moving grand1y IN spite of his very adj
vanced age. The ravages of time, however,
were visible in the sunken eye and half
open, nervousiy -twitching mouth, which in
dicated suffcient reason for his being
mere puppet in the hands of single man
King George Tubon's name, with it's halo
of ancient lineage and splendid warrior
fame, ruling the people, and Mr.. Shirley
Baker ruling the King The dark face,
contrasting so strangely and strongly with
the snow-white hnir, presented curious
study. Wrinkled with age and inane in
expression now, it still bore unmistakable
signs of what it had been in the days gone
by. It was easy to coniure up the look Of
cruel, unf1inching, indomitabIe will that
face had worn in. the old monarch's unre-
generate days-when he held his own by
the right Of might, and, club in hand, ever
foremost in the fray, wrote in fire and
blood the terrible name his people still adj
mire and fear. The sunken eyes still shot
forth at times the same fierce, strong glare
that must have lighted them when in the
bloody days Of yore he, then victorious
savage, disdaining to club an enemy who
aad spoken of him in sighting terms, tore
with his own hands the offenders tongue
from between his living jaws and con-
temptuously swallowed it before the
e. L
curious specimen of ROYALTY, though more
elaborate than that in which we had seen
him first, was of an extreme simplicity,
still consisting merely of q white linen shirt
GRIT in round the waist with q loin cloth of
gaudy-figured calico, reaching to lust below
the knee; and he went barefoot.
H For q time, in accordance with native
etiquette, strict silence was observed, the
King looking straight before him, without
moving q muscle or seeming aware of our
scrutiny; but, at last, in ouerulous tone,
he demanded our business there. We an
swered politely that passing through the
group we had called to nav our respects.
he Rrunted at this, and, after q little
Thought, INQUIRED if there was any thing we
wanted or any thing else we wished to say.
ON our replyinp that we would like very
much 10 INSPECT his house, if he had no OBJ
lection. we received q hasty .sYes'' Of per
mis- sion. and there our interview ended.
Hia Maiesty rose and haughtily strobe OF
throuuh the window to his beloved cook
house. where, no doubt, he tore OF his So
ciety shirt with all speed and settled happi-
II down to finger. his. fish again. Mean
time, being left quite alone, we availedour-